DENVER | Main Development Thread #7

[coolmandan03]

I figured out the location - the building image is from Colfax and Galapago - looking in this direction

[wong21fr]

Originally Posted by coolmandan03

I figured out the location - the building image is from Colfax and Galapago - looking in this direction

So this is the same project as what SirLucas posted earlier? Looks like it to me.

Originally Posted by SirLucasTheGreat

Speaking of Golden Triangle, here is a rendering of a 7 story apartment planned for 650 W Colfax that I was unaware of.

[jhwk]

Originally Posted by Robert.hampton

Found a novel uptown rendering. Not particularly exciting but there was some speculation from the submitted plan that this would look like one of the land barge on Welton — certainly no where near that bad, this will be a solid if unassuming addition.

Good one from Tryba. It follows my two primary contemporary architecture opinions, which are that you should use only one primary material and only one secondary material on the street facing facade, and that you should line up the windows unless you have a really, really good reason not to.

[laniroj]

Originally Posted by jhwk

Good one from Tryba. It follows my two primary contemporary architecture opinions, which are that you should use only one primary material and only one secondary material on the street facing facade, and that you should line up the windows unless you have a really, really good reason not to.

It seems like SO MANY people are desperate for the more traditional balanced design components you reference, but we just can't seem to turn the corner toward those being the dominant design. Base, middle, top...the classic that the masses yearn for!

[jhwk]

Originally Posted by laniroj

It seems like SO MANY people are desperate for the more traditional balanced design components you reference, but we just can't seem to turn the corner toward those being the dominant design. Base, middle, top...the classic that the masses yearn for!

I am not a rank traditionalist especially as many associate traditionalism with expensive ornamentation (my favorite styles are art deco with austere detailing and mid-centry modern with no detailing) but I would strongly like to see the current contemporary “deconstructed” or “articulated” facade go away as it is rarely successful. By trying to be many things, the buildings end up being nothing. I see many of the proposals here that lack a lot of Architecture 101 and feel like sending the studio that designed them the copy of Ching’s Form, Space, and Order that is sitting on my bookshelf.

Of course, it is not always the architect’s fault. I think our design reviews in Denver are generally balanced and improve projects, especially in Lodo, but in some parts of the country the “deconstructed” style is legally mandated out of an extremist view of preservation or a misguided desire to assuage NIMBYism.

[bunt_q]

Originally Posted by jhwk

but in some parts of the country the “deconstructed” style is legally mandated out of an extremist view of preservation or a misguided desire to assuage NIMBYism.

Genuinely curious about this, because I did not know this. Do you have examples of cities where this is (explicitly, or just in practice, effectively) mandated?

[jhwk]

Originally Posted by bunt_q

Genuinely curious about this, because I did not know this. Do you have examples of cities where this is (explicitly, or just in practice, effectively) mandated?

Seattle is where I hear the biggest complaints along these lines: https://www.sightline.org/2017/09/06/how-seattles-design-review-sabotages-housing-affordability/

[SirLucasTheGreat]

Reflecting on the past year, what is your favorite development that delivered in 2021? Mine is McGregor Square and by a good margin

[mhays]

Originally Posted by jhwk

Seattle is where I hear the biggest complaints along these lines: https://www.sightline.org/2017/09/06/how-seattles-design-review-sabotages-housing-affordability/

This is a good analysis of Seattle's problem circa 2017. Some aspects are better now but the basic dysfunction remains. Projects still face significant delays and costs due to a process that doesn't necessarily have value to begin with.

The aesthetic topic is a subset of the problem. It's not that a "deconstructed" style is necessarily preferred, but the seven district boards often try to slant things to their preferences, which tend to be modern and "honest." In this example, a proposal “took design cues from the historic buildings in the neighborhood too literally, mimicking historic architecture rather than complementing it.” Starting on Page 16 (huge file) here's the offending old version shown next to a new proposal in response to this: http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/AppDocs/GroupMeetings/DRProposal3033940AgendaID8811.pdf

Denver should NOT add a design review process unless it's done by staff following specific rules. Don't let volunteer boards throw random wrenches and bias into every project.

[mayco]

Originally Posted by SirLucasTheGreat

Reflecting on the past year, what is your favorite development that delivered in 2021? Mine is McGregor Square and by a good margin

Block 162 is my favorite, based on the infill added to the skyline and an overall great looking building. It would have been great to see it extend further up in the skyline, especially with it's unique roofline.

Looking forward, watching One River North come together over the next couple of years will be a treat. I still can't believe how quickly that moved forward.

[Arapahoe]

Originally Posted by SirLucasTheGreat

Reflecting on the past year, what is your favorite development that delivered in 2021? Mine is McGregor Square and by a good margin

I also would pick McGregor Square. A whole lot of positives - new retail, restaurants, outdoor public plaza, office and residential replacing a whole block of parking!! Also, like how they have events and it helps extends the Union Station activity towards the Ball Park.

Block 162 second place, its an actual skyscraper afterall.

The "Market Station + Thomspon Hotel + Fitzgerald" is a another impressive string of high-quality developments. Although not fully delivered yet, it is going to have a major impact in post-pandemic downtown.

[jhwk]

Originally Posted by SirLucasTheGreat

Reflecting on the past year, what is your favorite development that delivered in 2021? Mine is McGregor Square and by a good margin

The Fitzgerald is mine. I want a whole city of similar quality developments.

[bunt_q]

Originally Posted by mhays

This is a good analysis of Seattle's problem circa 2017. Some aspects are better now but the basic dysfunction remains. Projects still face significant delays and costs due to a process that doesn't necessarily have value to begin with.

The aesthetic topic is a subset of the problem. It's not that a "deconstructed" style is necessarily preferred, but the seven district boards often try to slant things to their preferences, which tend to be modern and "honest." In this example, a proposal “took design cues from the historic buildings in the neighborhood too literally, mimicking historic architecture rather than complementing it.” Starting on Page 16 (huge file) here's the offending old version shown next to a new proposal in response to this: http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/AppDocs/GroupMeetings/DRProposal3033940AgendaID8811.pdf

Denver should NOT add a design review process unless it's done by staff following specific rules. Don't let volunteer boards throw random wrenches and bias into every project.

That is interesting. I am no expert, but it sure seems design review made that building less attractive and less welcoming at the street level. They turned it from something art-deco-ey and somewhat urban-feeling into something that looks copy-pasted from a shitty ski town.

[SirLucasTheGreat]

Market Station would be up there for me if they had more retail tenants. Just tricky timing with the pandemic. Hopefully things are better next year and they can draw some quality tenants.

[laniroj]

Originally Posted by SirLucasTheGreat

Reflecting on the past year, what is your favorite development that delivered in 2021? Mine is McGregor Square and by a good margin

Architecturally, the Thompson. Use/Activation wise, McGregor.

[laniroj]

Originally Posted by jhwk

I am not a rank traditionalist especially as many associate traditionalism with expensive ornamentation (my favorite styles are art deco with austere detailing and mid-centry modern with no detailing) but I would strongly like to see the current contemporary “deconstructed” or “articulated” facade go away as it is rarely successful. By trying to be many things, the buildings end up being nothing. I see many of the proposals here that lack a lot of Architecture 101 and feel like sending the studio that designed them the copy of Ching’s Form, Space, and Order that is sitting on my bookshelf....

I'm with ya. My favorite style is art deco as well. I'm determined to build an art deco building in Denver before I die. That said, I loathe everything mid-century and attribute every bad architect's inspiration to it in our modern day.

I have tried very hard to understand how some could find beauty in the Boston city building and FBI building in DC - icons of the brutalist movement (which I often group with mid-century modern). I cannot make the connection to how a brain could find that to be aesthetically pleasing but to each their own.

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3605077,...ziz8wWhpfTy-IEKEWBj6A!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.896157,-...-qgeICeWQz0zyGnUepxrw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[Curtis Park]

Originally Posted by laniroj

I'm with ya. My favorite style is art deco as well. I'm determined to build an art deco building in Denver before I die. That said, I loathe everything mid-century and attribute every bad architect's inspiration to it in our modern day.

I have tried very hard to understand how some could find beauty in the Boston city building and FBI building in DC - icons of the brutalist movement (which I often group with mid-century modern). I cannot make the connection to how an a brain could find that to be aesthetically pleasing but to each their own.

]

Ha! I absolutely love mid-centry and brutalism, but I see how many don't. I live in a victorian home that was remodeled before I moved it. And I'm fine not having the flourishes that normally come with homes from this era. To me, the outside of Victorian homes is beautiful, but that's where the appreciation ends.
Give me mid-mod any day, but I wouldn't kick art deco out of the house.
https://www.habitat67.com/en/about/

[laniroj]

Originally Posted by Curtis Park

Ha! I absolutely love mid-centry and brutalism, but I see how many don't. I live in a victorian home that was remodeled before I moved it. And I'm fine not having the flourishes that normally come with homes from this era. To me, the outside of Victorian homes is beautiful, but that's where the appreciation ends.
Give me mid-mod any day, but I wouldn't kick art deco out of the house.
https://www.habitat67.com/en/about/

I'm having anxious nightmares over this property! Nice that everyone gets a piece of paradise though!

[i4isoar]

Originally Posted by SirLucasTheGreat

Reflecting on the past year, what is your favorite development that delivered in 2021? Mine is McGregor Square and by a good margin

I vote Block 162 - as mentioned above, it fills in a niche in the skyline and (hopefully) sets a precedent for nicer-looking skyscrapers (together with 1144 15th). I only wish it was a few floors higher, but I'll take it. McGregor Square comes in at a close second though, and only loses out because it's not a skyscraper.

Originally Posted by laniroj

I'm with ya. My favorite style is art deco as well. I'm determined to build an art deco building in Denver before I die. That said, I loathe everything mid-century and attribute every bad architect's inspiration to it in our modern day.

Seconded. I love art deco and my favorite non-skyscraper in Denver is the Telephone Building (though I think The Link is a fantastic modern addition to the site); it definitely has a very "old school Superman" feel to it. If you ever start a fundraiser for an art deco project, I'd be happy to donate a few dollars.

[jhwk]

Smiley’s and the apartment building next to it at Colfax & Downing are fenced and demo appears to be underway. There have been several proposals for this site - not sure if one of them is underway of if they are just removing the building.

Demo is also underway at the Ramada across the street - it would be a major transformation to get new buildings on both corners.